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France and Algeria resolved a visa dispute with Algeria, following an understanding reached by the two countries after protracted negotiations
France and Algeria resolved a visa dispute with Algeria, following an understanding reached by the two countries after protracted negotiations. This was announced by French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, while was on a visit to the capital city of Algiers. He announced a return to a normal consular relationship with Algeria, thereby restoring the visa quota to the earlier level, prior to the pre-Covid 19 days.
Darmanin said that the resolution of the dispute marked the willingness of France to continue cooperation with Algeria. Now, the French minister asserted that the consular relations have to come to the stage as they existed prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier, Darmanin informed the Algerian president about the restoration of normal consular relations, while he called on him. He thanked Algerian President Tebboune for the warm welcome he extended to him and to his accompanying delegation.
It may be recalled and as reported by www.trendsnafrica.com, last October, Prime Minister Ayman Benabderahman called on the French authorities to remove difficulties related to granting visas to Algerians.
Paris reduced visa quotas to its former colonies of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia in September 2021 as a step towards stemming irregular migration. France slashed quotas by 30 percent for Tunisia, and 50 percent for Algeria and Morocco, by doing so, France hoped the countries would repatriate their citizens living in France as irregular migrants., sparking widespread protests. Asa result, France restored visa quotas with Tunisia to pre-Covid levels in August. Recently, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said Paris had returned to full consular cooperation with Morocco.
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Normalization of consular ties with both Algeria and Morocco was effective from December 12, resolving the visa issue by bringing it at par with what existed prior to September 2021. West European countries face a large scale of migration from North African countries seeking better pastures in alien lands.
